With the modern day need for high speed mail handling systems, it has been found useful to transport envelopes along a mail handling feed path with a vertical orientation. This vertical orientation requires that many basic functions provided by prior machines, such as moistening and sealing of the envelope, require new mechanisms due to the differences in the mail handling orientation.
In previous envelope deflapping designs, the stripper blade has always been a fixed item. The envelope was always registered against the fixed blade to allow the flap to part from the body of the envelope. This type of design, however, could not adequately accommodate envelopes of varying thickness. In addition, a fixed printing plane for the printing of postage was also not always provided, as with the present invention.
The invention also provides the capability of allowing sealed mail to pass the stripper blade without being damaged or cut.